The all-new iPad mini

The all-new iPad mini gets a bigger screen, faster A15 chip for £479

Apple has completely overhauled its smallest tablet. Michael Simon reports

As well as a 9th gen iPad (see page 66), Apple unveiled a new iPad mini at its recent California Streaming event that overhauls its tiniest tablet with a new display, design and processor.

It starts with the design. The new iPad mini has adopted Apple’s ‘allscreen’ design in the iPad Air and Pro. By eliminating the bezels and the home button, Apple has upped the display size to 8.3in with wide colour, True Tone and 500 nits of brightness.

The iPad mini still has Touch ID, but like the iPad Air, it’s now built into the power button on the top edge, which is also where you’ll find the volume buttons. And instead of a Lightning port, you’ll now get USB-C for faster connectivity with accessories such as cameras.

The processor gets a boost as well. While the previous iPad mini was hardly slow with an A12 Bionic chip, the new iPad mini has the same A15 Bionic that you’ll get in the iPhone 13. Apple says it delivers a 40 per cent jump in CPU performance and an 80 per cent GPU boost over the prior model. It also supports 5G for the first time.

The camera is better, too. Around the back, you’ll get a 12Mp sensor with a larger aperture and True Tone flash for improved low-light photos. Apple also says the image signal processor in the A15 Bionic “improves image quality by recovering details in shadows and highlights” thanks to Smart HDR.

Around the back, you’ll get a 12Mp sensor with a larger aperture and True Tone flash for improved low-light photos. Like the iPad Pro and new ninthgeneration iPad, the mini also has an updated ultra-wide 12Mp front camera that supports Centre Stage. A feature of iOS 15, Centre Stage follows users around as they walk in and out of the frame so they’re always in view. When on a video call in FaceTime or other video apps, the iPad mini’s front camera will pan and scan so you won’t need to constantly rotate your iPad. The iPad mini supports the secondgen Apple Pencil that connects magnetically to the side of the tablet as well as a new line of slim Smart Folio covers in a variety of colours: black, white, English lavender, dark cherry and electric orange. All that newness comes at a higher price tag as well: £479 versus £379

for the prior model. You can preorder the iPad mini beginning today in four colours: purple, pink, Starlight and Space Grey. The new iPad mini is available to buy now.

SPECIFICATIONS

• 8.3in (2,266x1,488; 327ppi) Liquid

Retina IPS LCD • iPadOS 15 • Apple A15 Bionic (5nm) processor • Hexa-core (2x 2.93GHz, 4x X.XGHz [tbc]) CPU • Apple GPU (5-core graphics) • 4GB RAM • 64GB/256GB storage • Rear-facing camera: 12Mp, f/1.8, (wide), AF • Selfie camera: 12Mp, f/2.4, 122-degree (ultra-wide) • Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/6, dualband, hotspot • Bluetooth 5.0, A2DP • GPS with A-GPS, GLONASS (Wi-Fi + Cellular model only) • NFC • USB Type-C 3.1, DisplayPort • Fingerprint scanner (front mounted) • Non-removable 19.3Wh lithium-ion battery • 195.4x134.8x6.3mm • 293g